


Ten Ways to Build Confident Children

by tehhumi



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Fëanor, Rated T for language, obvious plant, or at least well meaning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 08:19:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17915216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehhumi/pseuds/tehhumi
Summary: A series of dialogues between Feanor and his familyInspired bythis imageby Obvious Plant





	Ten Ways to Build Confident Children

  1. _Let them say swear words - Carnistir_



“Fuck! Fucking piece of shit loom with shitty fucking workmanship!”

“Carnistir, what’s wrong?”

“The loom broke, and tangled up the last two feet of the tapestry I was working on.”

“But what did you do wrong?”

“I’m sorry about the language.”

“You should be; it was wildly inappropriate for a fully grown ner. Your vocabulary really ought to be much larger, that cursing was incredibly repetitive. Go hang out in a tavern until Telperion wanes, you’ve been spending far too much of your time cooped up.”

“You spend days at a time in the forge.”

“Others work there as well, so my linguistic skills never have a chance to atrophy. When you return, you’ll tell me an improved version of that ghastly sentence, and I’ll have a sketch of an improved loom for your input.”

 

  1. _Fill their room with scorpions - Tyelcormo_



“Tyelcormo, do you know why Carnistir’s room is full of spiders?”

“Spiders are cool! And they like to weave, just like him.”

“So you asked the spiders to go to his room?”

“Yep! I thought he’d do well with a pet he had something in common with.”

“That was very thoughtful. But you have to remember, not everyone likes the same things, even when they’re obviously amazing – for instance, your mother finds linguistics dull. A lot of people find spiders unsettling.”

“Why? They eat other bugs, and occasional birds, not things as big as elves.”

“They move in unpredictable ways, and most people can’t read a spider’s expressions as well as, say, a dog’s.”

“Most people aren’t good at reading dogs’ expressions either.”

 “I don’t think Carnistir likes having so many spiders in his room. How about you ask them to go back home, and only introduce one to our little brother at a time?”

“All right. I really didn’t mean to scare Moryo.”

“I know you didn’t, and he’ll realize it too once he’s calmed down.”

 

  1. _Make fun of their friends - Maitimo_



“I really don’t see why you bother with Nolofinwe’s son. There’s not a single interesting thing about him.”

“People call him Findecáno the Valiant.”

“Foolhardy maybe. And I’ve taught you better to rely on other’s opinions.”

“He’s the fastest horseman in Valinor, and he’s very good at getting both sides of an argument to be civil.”

“Possibly useful in a council meeting, but hardly grounds for a lasting friendship. You need friends who will spur you on and challenge you, not smooth ruffled feathers.”

“Findecáno is –”

“He is not worthy of your time and energy; none of that family is. But I won’t police your behavior, merely give advice.”

 

  1. _Clone them - Ambarussa_



“You do realize that you’re the perfect opportunity for truly independent variable testing.”

“Yes.”

“The exact same biology, the same home environment, the same appearance. If the two of you spent just a couple months in different environments, we could learn so much about psychology!”

“We realize that.”

“Then why won’t you?”

“It would mean being without Ambarussa for months. Neither of us want to be alone for that long.”

He sighed. “Fair enough. Please do let me know if you change your minds.”

“Yes Dad.”

 

  1. _Name them Emperor Star-Killer - Nerdanel_



“Are you sure it won’t be too much pressure, dear?”

“None of our sons will collapse under anything; they’re strong.”

“Still, it’s quite a lot to live up to, and a very specific goal at that. If you had given Macalaure that name, he would have been a fine smith, but nowhere near as happy.”

“That’s why I named him Canafinwe instead. This one though is my true legacy, I can feel it.”

“I suppose there’s no reason only mothers can give prophetic names.”

“It’s not prophecy. I’m simply looking at what we’ve made together and seeing the shape of it. Trust me, Curufinwe will love his name.”

 

  1. _Leave town for a month or two - Curufinwe_



“What are you doing?”

“The Valar have exiled me from Tirion.”

“I heard, but why are you dividing up your forge tools? Surely the Valar are not so foolish as to forbid you from crafting.”

“I am taking what I need for my current project. I’m not going to leave you and your brothers with a poorly equipped workspace.”

“I admit I may be a little ways behind you, as I must coordinate tutors for Tyelpe. But I can get by for a few weeks with just my personal tools, there’s no need for you to devote so much time to it.”

“I am the only one banned, the Valar will let all of you to stay.”

“We’re not going to abandon you just because the Valar meddle in elven politics.”

 

  1. _Tape some swords to their hands – Maitimo and Curufinwe_



“Maitimo, do you have a minute? I have some ideas for tools you might find useful.”

“I lost my right hand, I can’t operate in a forge.”

“As if you could forge half as well as me before. These aren’t forge tools, they’re replacements for your hand.”

“Ah.”

“Here’s one for state dinners, and one for hunting, and one for battle…”

“Curvo?”

“Yes?”

“Why all are of these variations on tying a knife to my arm?”

“I could do a hammer instead but you really aren’t that spectacular of a craftsman.”

 

  1. _Do their homework for them- Ambarussa_



“Are you two done with your studies already? I thought you were researching a history report.”

“The tutor said to write it on Queen Indis’s accomplishments. So I wrote down the names of her kids, now we’re done.”

“He actually gave you that as an assignment?”

“Yep.”

“I’m going to speak with him tomorrow about appropriate educational priorities. It will probably take me a while to explain it in sufficiently small words; you two can take the day off lessons.”

 

  1. _Constructive criticism - Macalaure_



“What did you think of the performance?”

“Your harping was excellent, but your singing could be improved. You lost control of the note at the end of the third refrain, and your articulation on the bridge mixed the thorn with sa-si.”

“What about the other players?”

“I’m sure they can all play whatever reel is popular these days in an inn. Now, you mentioned that you were developing a technique for two handed harping. What are the benefits and drawbacks of playing a series of chords compared to the same notes transposed an octave…”

 

  1. _Create opportunities for them to succeed_



Fëanáro loved Tirion. But it had no room for his sons to grow.

Maitimo was amazing at governing, but Finwe had no plans to step down. Tyelcormo loved to explore new places, but he had by now already seen most of Aman. Carnistir seemed to excel at annoying people as much as weaving, and was running low on people in Tirion who would speak with him. Fëanáro himself had already solved most problems that Curufinwe’s talents could apply to.  

Macalaure did not seem stifled, and the Ambarussa were too young to tell, but three of seven children being happy was not enough.

Fëanáro and his sons would go to Endórë, and the world would never know what hit it.  


End file.
